Mike Malloy

[Don Smith]

25 July 2010 Last updated at 16:27 ET
Venezuela head threatens US oil cut over Colombia row

Mr Chavez has long accused the US of plotting to oust him
President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela has threatened to halt oil exports to the US if his country is attacked by Colombia - a close US ally.

The threat comes amid an escalating dispute over allegations that Venezuela is harbouring Colombian rebels.

Mr Chavez broke diplomatic ties with Colombia last week and put his army on high alert.

Venezuela is America's fifth biggest source of imported oil, supplying about a million barrels a day.

Mr Chavez said he had received intelligence that "the possibility of armed aggression against Venezuela from Colombia was higher than it had ever been".

"If there was any attack on Venezuela from Colombian territory or from anywhere else, promoted by the Yankee empire, we would suspend oil shipments to the US, even if we have to eat stones," he said.

"We would not send one more drop to US refineries".

The left-wing Venezuelan leader also said he had cancelled a trip to Cuba to celebrate a revolutionary anniversary with his close ally, President Raul Castro, because of the danger of attack.

Colombia-Venezuela relationsContinue reading the main story [#skip_feature_02] March 2008: Caracas sends troops to border after Colombian raid into Ecuador to kill Farc rebelsJuly 2008: Colombia and Venezuela make up after release of Farc hostage Ingrid BetancourtNovember 2009: Venezuela sends 15,000 troops to border after Colombia-US deal on use of Colombia military bases June 2010: Juan Manuel Santos elected President of Colombia. Caracas previously said his election "could lead to war in the region"July 16, 2010: Caracas describes as provocation Bogota's announcement that Colombian rebels are sheltering in VenezuelaJuly 22, 2010: Colombia presents what it says is evidence for its accusations at OAS meeting. Venezuela breaks off diplomatic relations
Detailed allegations

A dispute over whether Venezuela allows Colombian Farc and ELN rebels to operate from its territory has dogged ties between the two South American nations for the past eight years.

But relations hit a new low last week when Colombia presented detailed allegations, including maps, photographs and testimony from guerrilla deserters.

Venezuela vehemently denies the accusation, and Mr Chavez has accused Colombia of trying to create a pretext for US military intervention against him.

He has also accused Colombia's outgoing President Alvaro Uribe - who leaves office next month - of trying to prevent an improvement in relations with Venezuela under his successor, Juan Manuel Santos.

Mr Uribe - a close ally of the US - has made the fight against left-wing rebels the main priority of his presidency.

In a newspaper interview published on Sunday, he said he could not understand why guerrilla leaders sheltering in Venezuela were not arrested.

"I leave office with the sadness that these terrorists still have the capacity to inflict damage from outside the country", he said.

In 2008 Mr Uribe sent Colombian troops into neighbouring Ecuador to attack a rebel base, killing the Farc leader, Raul Reyes.

His decision to give US forces access to military bases inside Colombia has been another cause of concern for Venezuela.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-10757064
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" A bayonet is a tool with a worker at both ends."- Lenin
Patriotism is a manifestation of the Stockholm Syndrome.
"How does it become a man to behave toward this American government to-day? I answer that he cannot without disgrace be associated with it."
-Thoreau
"Information is the currency of Democracy." Jefferson

[wartsttocs]

Maybe they U.S. government should reconsider the coups 'r us policy..... hmmm??